Newly elected Rajya Sabha members to take oath on July 22 in the House chamber

NEW DELHI: After weeks of delay due to COVID-19 pandemic, newly elected members of Rajya Sabha will be administered oath of affirmation on July 22 in the House chamber with requisite precautions of social distancing.

For the first time, the oath will be held in the chamber of the Rajya Sabha when the House is not in session. Using in the interim period between sessions, members take oath in the chamber of the Vice President.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu took the decision to schedule the oath taking as the department related standing committees have started holding their meetings. Two of the newly elected members T Siva and K Keshav Rao are heads of parliamentary committees and they cannot chair meetings without taking oath.

Only one guest per member taking oath will be allowed in the visitors’ gallery.

61 members from 20 states have been elected to the Rajya Sabha.

Those who are not able to take oath on July 22 will do so in the monsoon session of Parliament.